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Welcome to our watershed

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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our office remains closed without an appointment. Please contact staff by email or phone.

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Riley Purgatory Bluff Creek Watershed


A watershed is an area of land that drains (or sheds) water into a body of water such as a creek, wetland, or lake. The Riley Purgatory Bluff Creek Watershed District (RPBCWD) is a special unit of government that protects the watersheds of Riley Creek, Purgatory Creek, and Bluff Creek through:

  • Protection and improvement of water resources
  • Partnering with local communities
  • Public engagement
Learn more about us

Do you live in the watershed district?
Click here to open our interactive map!

District map
Featured Story
calendar iconAugust 1, 2023
Zebra mussels confirmed in Lake Ann
RPBCWD staff discovered four adult zebra mussels in Lake Ann on July 12, 2023. They were found attached to a tree branch in shallow water near the public swimming beach on the south side of the lake.
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January 5, 2023

2023 Photo Contest Now Open

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November 15, 2022

Apply to Join our Citizen Advisory Committee!

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November 7, 2022

Become a Minnesota Water Steward

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See all news

50 years of watershed history

Since 1969, the Riley Purgatory Bluff Creek Watershed District has partnered with its communities to protect, manage and restore local water resources. Take a trip through our history, and explore the ways that local residents, organizations and government partners have shaped the waters of this community!

Historic map
Settlement
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